A-to-Z Rally: Team IVECO

GREENFLEET chats with Mike Cutts from IVECO about how the team plans to put the eDaily through its paces on the challenging 1,400 mile EV Rally

We are delighted that IVECO is joining the Rally again this year, after last year's debut. What made you decide to get involved again this year?

The EV Rally serves as an excellent real-world proof of concept for EVs with last year’s successful nationwide tour helping to give operators confidence in electrified fleets.

Our IVECO eDaily ‘towing world record’ vehicle was fresh from pulling 153.58 tonnes, joining the rally without issues just days after this huge achievement.

IVECO’s Showcase event on the EV Rally then went on to tow 2.5 tonnes of electric digger up England’s steepest road in Sheffield. This year we switch focus from class-leading pulling power to unmatched onboard power with the IVECO eDaily Mobile Power Station. What better way to highlight what eDaily can do than joining EV Rally 2024?

Please tell us about Team IVECO – who will be driving and in what vehicles?

This year we are bringing two IVECO eDaily to the EV Rally. The Mobile Power Station represents the eDaily’s ability to power demanding equipment and bodies such as emergency services equipment, compactors, cranes and much more.

With up to 50kW of onboard power for operators to power even the most demanding missions, eDaily is providing a zero-emissions solution to operators who previously couldn’t make the switch to an EV. This special 4.25-tonne van is equipped with the ‘Power Wall’ that serves as a visual demonstration of how this vehicle can power just about anything.

Piloting the IVECO eDaily this year will again be a host of key IVECO team members over various days. Adam Bishop, one of the world’s strongest men and the driver of the towing world record vehicle, will take the wheel of the Mobile Power Station for our Showcase.

Joining the IVECO eDaily van will be a 7.2T 4100mm wheelbase eDaily Minibus serving to highlight the true mission versatility of the eDaily family. This vehicle is ideal for urban transport with capacity for 23 passengers and plenty of space to get comfortable. Vehicles such as the eDaily Minibus can make significant contributions in the reduction of local CO2 emissions.

Last year, Team IVECO demonstrated some impressive towing capabilities in its eDaily - please tell us about this.

We thought that instead of just telling the world about the IVECO eDaily’s class-leading towing capacity, we should show everyone. As impressive as the towing record of 153.58 tonnes is, that is a very extreme scenario to prove the vehicle’s outright strength. What our customers want to know is if the vehicle can deal with challenging real-life situations that they currently depend on diesel power for.

We decided to make a little detour on the rally to visit Blake Street in Sheffield, notorious for being the steepest road in England. Hitching 2.5 tonnes of trailer and electric digger to the eDaily, we wanted to prove that even in the most challenging of real-world situations, this EV is the right tool for the job. The van easily climbed the hill and was in fact so brisk that the video sequence had to be shot for a second time to ensure the cameraman was ready!

The Rally is over 1,400 miles and this year will be visiting towns and checkpoints from A to Z in alphabetical order. As you have completed the rally before, what learnings will you be bringing with you to ensure this rally runs smoothly?

While an epic road trip last year, the IVECO eDaily with its impressive modular battery system and rapid charging made life easy for its drivers. They were never stopped for too long or too frequently, but it does pay dividends to be prepared. In addition to having a vehicle you can depend upon; public charger locator apps are excellent for finding little-known chargers in unfamiliar territory. With so many EV Rally competitors on the same route at the same time, it’s a big advantage to confidently stray from the most obvious charge locations.

Then of course there are the essentials of any road trip… A broad spectrum of snacks, a coat, and a seriously good playlist.

What improvements do you hope to see in the public charging infrastructure, specifically for vans?

Last year’s IVECO eDaily was a 3.5-tonne van, but the Mobile Power Station of 2024 is a 4.25-tonne vehicle with a 5100 wheelbase – big indeed. Many public chargers are perfect for cars, but larger commercial vehicles are rarely a consideration. As a result, space is frequently at a premium with some chargers being totally inaccessible for taller vans.

As the rapidly evolving infrastructure moves forward, we hope to see more accommodating charging points for all, or even some specific to commercial vehicles.

Why are events like the EV Rally important for driving up electric-vehicle adoption?

Consumer confidence is critical for EV adoption as to many it’s something totally new. After 100 years+ of combustion engines, a switch from the pumps to plugs is a big cultural change. However, events such as the EV Rally enable IVECO and other manufacturers to highlight that, while different, going electric doesn’t mean compromise. In fact, driving an EV can enhance a business’ capabilities as well as reduce emissions to zero.

You can create glossy adverts or do impressive stunts, but ultimately the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Seeing something work as it should, or excel, is how any scepticism around EVs can be put to bed.

Please tell us about IVECO's own sustainability plans and progress?

IVECO has been a trailblazer for alternative-fuelled vehicles for over two decades, and that will continue into the future. We continue to launch new products with alternative fuels, building on our Gas range and electric eDaily with the launch of electric and Hydrogen powertrains on trucks. However, our efforts go beyond the vehicles themselves.

By 2026 100% of total electricity consumption at company plants worldwide will be from renewable sources. Additionally, 75% of industrial water will be recycled at company plants. IVECO invested 4.4 million euros in 2023 on improving energy performance and 339 million euros in environmentally sustainable activities helping to reduce our energy consumption per hour of production by 16% vs the previous year (2022).

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